LIQUIDITY	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2021
LIQUIDITY
LIQUIDITY	2. LIQUIDITY The Company last recorded revenues from operations in 2009. Since 2009, the Company has relied on equity financings, debt financings and asset sales to fund its operations. The Company expects to rely on debt and equity financing to fund its operations for the foreseeable future. The Company will also continue its cost reduction initiatives to identify ways to reduce its cash expenditures. In 2016, the Company began to expand its business plan into acquisition and development of energy-related materials. Between 2016 and 2020 the Company obtained lithium mineral leases in Nevada and Utah and acquired Alabama Graphite Corp. and its Coosa Graphite Project in Alabama in 2018 for the purpose of developing and mining a commercial sized graphite mineral deposit and processing the flake graphite into advanced graphite products for use in batteries. In the third quarter of 2020, the Company executed the strategic decision to focus most of its resources on its graphite business, discontinuing its investment in its lithium mineral properties and announced a proposed transaction to sell its uranium business enCore Energy Corp. (“enCore”). As discussed in Note 3, the sale to enCore closed on December 31, 2020 and included the elimination of a $9.3 million bonding liability, the elimination of $5.2 million in asset retirement obligations, and the elimination of more than $4.0 million in annual expenditures related to reclamation and compliance costs. The Company received approximately $1.8 million of enCore common stock and retained royalty interests on the New Mexico uranium properties as consideration for the sale. The Company retained its uranium interests in Turkey, which are subject to ongoing international arbitration proceeding. During the first quarter of 2021, the Company primarily focused on graphite process development activities including operation of pilot programs for processing flake graphite into battery-grade graphite products and the kickoff of a Definitive Feasibility Study (“DFS”) on the Coosa Graphite Project. The data generated and experience gained from operating the pilot programs is being used to inform the DFS and will also inform the requirements and specifications for building a commercial graphite processing facility. On March 31, 2021, the Company’s cash balance was approximately $118 million. During the quarter ended March 31, 2021, the Company sold 9.3 million shares of common stock for net proceeds of $47.3 million pursuant to its Controlled Equity OfferingSM Sales Agreement with Cantor Fitzgerald & Co. (“Cantor”) and 3.8 million shares of common stock for net proceeds of $24.9 million pursuant to the December 2020 PA (as defined below) with Lincoln Park Capital Fund, LLC (“Lincoln Park”) (see Note 7). As of March 31, 2021, the Company has no shares of common stock registered for sale under the ATM Offering Agreement and has sold approximately 19.9% of the outstanding shares of common stock as of the date of the Lincoln Park December 2020 PA. Management believes the Company’s current cash balance is sufficient to fund its planned non-discretionary expenditures through 2022. In addition to pursuing project financing, the Company is evaluating the continued use of the Cantor and Lincoln Park financing facilities for use in funding any required contributions by the Company to support construction of the commercial graphite processing facility. While the Company has been successful in the past in raising funds through equity and debt financings as well as through the sale of non-core assets, no assurance can be given that additional financing will be available to it in amounts sufficient to meet its needs, or on terms acceptable to the Company. Stock price volatility and uncertain economic conditions caused by the COVID‑19 pandemic could significantly impact the Company’s ability to raise funds through equity financing. In the event funds are not available for project financing to complete construction of the commercial graphite processing facility in 2022, the Company will be able to fund its non-discretionary expenditures, however, the Company may be required to change its planned business development strategies.

2. LIQUIDITY

The Company last recorded revenues from operations in 2009. Since 2009, the Company has relied on equity financings, debt financings and asset sales to fund its operations. The Company expects to rely on debt and equity financing to fund its operations for the foreseeable future. The Company will also continue its cost reduction initiatives to identify ways to reduce its cash expenditures.

In 2016, the Company began to expand its business plan into acquisition and development of energy-related materials. Between 2016 and 2020 the Company obtained lithium mineral leases in Nevada and Utah and acquired Alabama Graphite Corp. and its Coosa Graphite Project in Alabama in 2018 for the purpose of developing and mining a commercial sized graphite mineral deposit and processing the flake graphite into advanced graphite products for use in batteries. In the third quarter of 2020, the Company executed the strategic decision to focus most of its resources on its graphite business, discontinuing its investment in its lithium mineral properties and announced a proposed transaction to sell its uranium business enCore Energy Corp. (“enCore”). As discussed in Note 3, the sale to enCore closed on December 31, 2020 and included the elimination of a $9.3 million bonding liability, the elimination of $5.2 million in asset retirement obligations, and the elimination of more than $4.0 million in annual expenditures related to reclamation and compliance costs. The Company received approximately $1.8 million of enCore common stock and retained royalty interests on the New Mexico uranium properties as consideration for the sale. The Company retained its uranium interests in Turkey, which are subject to ongoing international arbitration proceeding.

During the first quarter of 2021, the Company primarily focused on graphite process development activities including operation of pilot programs for processing flake graphite into battery-grade graphite products and the kickoff of a Definitive Feasibility Study (“DFS”) on the Coosa Graphite Project. The data generated and experience gained from operating the pilot programs is being used to inform the DFS and will also inform the requirements and specifications for building a commercial graphite processing facility.

On March 31, 2021, the Company’s cash balance was approximately $118 million. During the quarter ended March 31, 2021, the Company sold 9.3 million shares of common stock for net proceeds of $47.3 million pursuant to its Controlled Equity OfferingSM Sales Agreement with Cantor Fitzgerald & Co. (“Cantor”) and 3.8 million shares of common stock for net proceeds of $24.9 million pursuant to the December 2020 PA (as defined below) with Lincoln Park Capital Fund, LLC (“Lincoln Park”) (see Note 7). As of March 31, 2021, the Company has no shares of common stock registered for sale under the ATM Offering Agreement and has sold approximately 19.9% of the outstanding shares of common stock as of the date of the Lincoln Park December 2020 PA.

Management believes the Company’s current cash balance is sufficient to fund its planned non-discretionary expenditures through 2022. In addition to pursuing project financing, the Company is evaluating the continued use of the Cantor and Lincoln Park financing facilities for use in funding any required contributions by the Company to support construction of the commercial graphite processing facility. While the Company has been successful in the past in raising funds through equity and debt financings as well as through the sale of non-core assets, no assurance can be given that additional financing will be available to it in amounts sufficient to meet its needs, or on terms acceptable to the Company. Stock price volatility and uncertain economic conditions caused by the COVID‑19 pandemic could significantly impact the Company’s ability to raise funds through equity financing. In the event funds are not available for project financing to complete construction of the commercial graphite processing facility in 2022, the Company will be able to fund its non-discretionary expenditures, however, the Company may be required to change its planned business development strategies.